Multiple Partners and Multiple Partner Fertility in Fragile Families
Laura Tach
Harvard University
Kathy Edin
Harvard University
Sara McLanahan
Princeton University
Fragile Families Working Paper
WP11-10-FF
*The following figures were prepared for the Family Task Force Meeting at Brookings
Institution on February 10th, 2011.
A Closer Look at Unmarried Families:
Children’s Experiences of Relationship Instability
and Family Complexity
Family Taskforce Meeting
Brookings Institution
Feb 10th, 2011
Part 1:
Relationship Instability
Focal Child
Part 1:
Relationship Instability
New Partner
New Partner
Focal Child
Total New Parental Romantic Relationships
in Fragile Families, by Child’s 5th Birthday
# of New
Relationships
No New
Relationship
45%
At Least 1 New
Relationship
12%
1
14%
2
13%
3
16%
4+
55%
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Counts total number of mothers’ and fathers’ new romantic relationships that lasted at least three months.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Mother’s New Romantic Relationships
in Fragile Families by Child’s 5th Birthday
# of New
Relationships
No New
Relationship
49%
At Least 1 New
Relationship
23%
1
51%
2
18%
7%
3%
3
4+
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Counts total number of mothers’ new romantic relationships that lasted at least three months.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Father’s New Romantic Relationships
in Fragile Families by Child’s 5th Birthday
# of New
Relationships
No New
Relationship
At Least 1 New
Relationship
1
32%
2
51%
49%
3
10%
4%
3%
4+
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Counts total number of fathers’ new romantic relationships that lasted at least three months.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Part 2:
Family Complexity
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Focal Child
Part 2:
Family Complexity
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Focal Child
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Part 2:
Family Complexity
Step-Sib
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Focal Child
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Step-Sib
Amount of Multi-Partner Fertility (Half-Sibs)
in Fragile Families by Child’s 5th Birthday
# of
Half-Siblings
No Half-Sibs
in Family
40%
Half-Sibs
in Family
60%
18%
1
19%
2
23%
3+
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Counts total number of half-siblings (biological children of either mother or father, but not both).
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Type of Multi-Partner Fertility (Half-Sibs)
in Fragile Families by Child’s 5th Birthday
No Half-Sibs
in Family
40%
Any Half-Sibs
in Family
60%
18%
Dad Only
19%
Mom Only
23%
Both Mom & Dad
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Half-siblings are biological children of either mother or father, but not both.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Children’s Combined Experiences of Instability and Complexity
in Fragile Families by 5th Birthday
Stable TwoParent Family
10%Unstable Onl
Unstable/Complex
Family
23%Complex Onl
18%
78%
Unstable and
45%
4%
Stable Single
Mother Family
Unstable: relationship between biological parents ends and/or relationship with new partner begins
Complex: one or more parents has children by a different partner
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Children’s Combined Experiences of Instability and Complexity
in Fragile Families by 5th Birthday
Stable
Two- Parent
18%
10% Unstable, No Half-Sibs
Unstable/
Complex
23% Stable, Half-Sibs
78%
45% Unstable and Half-Sibs
Stable 4%
Single Mother
Unstable: relationship between biological parents ends and/or relationship with new partner begins
Complex: one or more parents has children by a different partner
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Children’s Combined Experiences of Instability and Complexity
in Fragile Families by 5th Birthday
Stable
Two- Parent
18%
10% Unstable, No Half-Sibs
Unstable/
Complex
23% Stable, Half-Sibs
78%
45% Unstable and Half-Sibs
Stable 4%
Single Mother
•18% of kids have step-siblings from either mom’s or dad’s current new partner.
Source: Tabulated by Dr. Laura Tach from Waves 1-4 of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Survey,
a nationally representative sample of children born in the late 1990s in cities with populations of 200,000 or more.
Fragile Families are defined as biological parents who were unmarried at time of birth.
Step-Sib
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Focal Child
Half-Sib
Half-Sib
Step-Sib